Learn the power of content creation and broadcasting with Piece to Camera, Phono, and Outside Broadcasting by indulging in unparalleled audio quality through Phono, and witness dynamic event coverage via OB. Join this presentation to explore the trifecta reshaping media landscapes and captivating audiences worldwide.

1. PTC, PHONO & OB
Submitted By: Submitted To:
Adarsh Agarwal Mr. Rajat Pandey Sir
BA(JMC) 4th Semester
‘2126004’
UNIT-1 : TV REPORTING
Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya
Department of Journalism & Mass Communication

2. Contents:
1. What is PTC?
2. Types of PTC
3. Its Importance
4. Phono
5. What is OB?
6. OB Van
7. Equipments inside an OB Van

3. PTC
PIECE-TO-CAMERA

4. ● In a television or film, a piece to camera
(PTC) is when a television presenter or a
character speaks directly to the viewing
audience through the camera.
● It is most common when a news or
television show presenter is reporting or
explaining items to the viewing audience.
● Indeed, news programmes usually take
the form of a combination of both
interviews & pieces to camera.
What Is Piece - To - Camera ?

5. TYPES OF PIECE TO CAMERA
1. Opening PTC
When the presenter opens up the news, and
introduce himself/herself to the audience.
2. Bridge PTC
Information that presenter gives to bridge
the gap between empty space.
3. Conclusive or Closing PTC
Ending of news where the presenter
acknowledge itself and the cameraman,
place and the news channel.

6. IMPORTANCE & USE OF PTC IN TV JOURNALISM
● PTCs can be a crucial part of a television package. They can establish a
reporter’s authority & credibility.
● Pieces to camera can also be used to get around a lack of pictures, or to
demonstrate a piece of machinery or a process or highlight a particular
location.
● A piece to camera is a very important part of news package. So, it is
essential to look and sound interested and engaged with the story.

7. * Note. ● The term also applies to the period when an
actor, playing a fictional character in a film or
on television, talks into the camera and hence
directly to the audience. Depending on the
genre of the show, this may or may not be
considered as a breaking the fourth wall.
● Fourth Wall: Performance convention in
which an invisible, imaginary wall separates
actors from the audience, while the audience
can see through this “wall”.

8. PHONO

9. What is Phono ?
● When news breaks in, the information first comes
through phones. It takes time to show the visuals
or bytes of the eye witnesses or authorities, due
to the absence of reporters or the technical
infrastructure at all the places.
● As they try to reach there as soon as possible, the
channel has to give the latest information to its
viewers. So, here come in phone-in interviews.
● These interviews are called ‘Phonos’ in newsroom
parlance.
● Phono usually used for a breaking news or some
important update. It is a ‘live’ report filed in by
reporter from scene of the story. Here, the anchor
asks questions and reporter replies on phone.

10. ● The assignment/input team first lines-up all their reporters,
who can give any piece or type of information or perspective
regarding the development.
● A competent assignment/input team keeps an updated phone
directory of important persons from every walk of life, so that
they can be approached for information or their perspective in
case that a big event or a development occurs in their field.
● The aim & duty is to keep the viewers engaged, so that they
don’t switch over to any other channel. Following up with new
information, elements and perspectives.
● Phonos are not required only in the case of breaking news.
During normal coverage also, Phonos are required to get
updates or for getting reactions of the concerned parties or
persons. It is the assignment/ input team that arranges these.
HOW PHONOS ARE EXECUTED ?

11. OB
OUTDOOR BROADCAST

12. What is outside broadcast ?
● Outside Broadcast ("OB") refers to any
television or radio programme which is
broadcast from a location away from the
normal studio setting.
● The location doesn't actually have to be
out-of-doors — the "outside" simply
means "outside the studio".
● Television outside broadcasts can be any
size and complexity, from a single camera
to dozens of cameras and staff.
● Generally, the term OB implies
multi-camera coverage co-ordinated and
directed from a mobile control room.

13. OB UNITS
An "OB Unit" is a mobile production unit (with equipment
and crew) which is able to travel to a location and provide
broadcast coverage. A simple OB unit could include any of
the following:
1. A number of cameras (usually at least four)
2. A mobile control room, staffed by a director, vision
controller, sound operator and VT (videotape)
operator.
3. Equipment and housing for a presentation area
4. Transmission equipment
Events commonly covered by OB units include sports,
concerts, ceremonies, etc. OB units may specialise in a
particular area; for example, a motorsports OB unit would
carry specialised camera equipment for in-car coverage
and have staff which know this particular sport well.

14. OUTSIDE BROADCASTING VAN
● A television production truck or OB van is a
small mobile production control room to allow
filming of events and video production at
locations outside a regular television studio.
● They are used for remote broadcasts, outside
broadcasting (OB), and electronic field
production (EFP).
● It require a crew of as many as 30 people, known
as OB Team.

15. * Note.
WORLD’s FIRST OB VAN
One of the BBC's early Outside Broadcast vehicles,
MCR 1 (short for Mobile Control Room), was built by
the joint Marconi-EMI company and delivered to the
BBC just in time
It was first used to televise the Coronation of George VI
and Elizabeth in May 1937. MCR 2 was identical to MCR
1 and was delivered in the summer of 1938..

16. References:
1. Book - TV Journalism at Hike (e-gyankosh)
2. TV News Channels in India (P.N. Vasanti)
3. Advanced TV journalism (NIILM University)
THANKYOU !